A lot in common
by natalieeannee
Summary: Wanting, no, almost needing to be with Harry again now that the war is over,'always down to earth' Ginny approaches him as usual at the remembrance ceremony. However, the other girl that approaches Harry throws Ginny right off. Ginny can't handle this right now, on top of grieving losses and recovering from a year of battles. So Ginny avoids Harry.Until the other girl talks to her.


Harry had intended to go down early, to be as inconspicuous as possible sitting in his seat while everyone arrived, but plainly most of his plans fail anyway. But not last Saturday's. Four days ago, they had succeeded. Voldemort was dead.

But last Saturday's had failed.

Fred died.

Lupin died.

Colin died.

The bright sun and fresh spring air hit Harry square in the face as he made it out of Hogwarts' main doors. Breathing in a breath of liberation, the blazing sun momentarily stunting his thoughts, Harry regained his focus. Today everyone will give respects to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, and tomorrow he will continue working in any way needed to build the new world.

He turned left and saw hundreds of witches and wizards and a handful of giants and centaurs and others already gathering at the same spot Dumbledore's funeral was held. Harry only had eyes for a select few: Ron and Hermione, Hagrid, the Weasleys, Ginny….

Just then he saw her, walking up the aisle in his direction. She looked up and they made eye contact for the first time since in the Room of Requirements. She smiled and beelined towards him, and him the same towards her.

Reaching each other, as if on impulse, they shared a hug. Saying hello, they both started walking back the way Ginny came from towards their seats. And that's when Leila arrived.

"HARRY!"

Everyone turned to the source of the loudest scream since the night of the battle.

Harry reacted immediately, pivoting and taking off directly towards the sound of the voice.

Ginny was not even over her shock from the scream, her heart still racing, as she watched Harry dart towards the screamer. Then confusion set in. Who was this girl darting also towards Harry? They clearly knew each other - she could see the utter joy and relief on the girl's face. And Harry's run, unexpectedly, could be classified as comparable to jumping for joy.

They collided full speed and Harry swung her around in a half circle before setting her back down, maintaining the hug.

She was beautiful. Ginny could see her dark red hair flowing in the breeze. She was tall – almost as tall as Harry – unlike Ginny's more petite stature. In her black, figure flattering dress, Ginny acknowledged that flattering wasn't necessary. She had all the right curves. Juxtaposing Ginny's strong, athletic body, which was also suffering from the stress of the past week and year.

Not knowing what to do, Ginny turned away, and tried to continue as casually as possible back towards her seat in the second row with her family.

"I can't believe you're here!"

"Harry! You said you would owl!"

"I've just been recovering"

"You still could have owled!"

"I just thought, since you were in France, you wouldn't have heard of the battle anyway. So it wouldn't be any harm if I wrote you next week after everything settles down."

"Well I'm here now! Hermione wrote to me. I'm so relieved it's over. Harry we can have a life now! You did it! You did it all!"

Smiling the biggest smile despite of himself, unable to think of anything besides his joy of the future for the time being, Harry broke their hug to guide Leila to his seat. Keeping one arm around her waist he obliviously led her to the front row while most onlookers continued to watch their journey.

Ginny saw them next when they walked in front of her, and evidently Hermione and Ron saw them too because they both leaped up and enveloped this girl in another hug.

"I'm so glad you made it!" Ginny could hear Hermione exclaiming.

"All because of you!" was the girl's response.

"I saved you a seat" Hermione said, directing the girl down beside her. Ron sat on Hermione's other side, and Harry sat beside the new girl.

 _I don't think I can handle this_ Ginny thought.

 **ALIC**

The remembrance ceremony concluded, and Ginny didn't wait a moment longer to make her way out of her row and back towards the quiet of the dorms.

Amazingly Ginny had completely avoided Harry for two weeks. On her way to the dorms Mr. and Mrs. Weasley caught up to her and said they were going to return to the Burrow to start assessing the repairs needed there. Surprising to Molly, who thought it would have been another fight to get her underaged daughter to come home with her, Ginny offered right away.

"That's a good idea. I'll come too."

And so, Ginny and her parents had arrived back at the Burrow and started making it livable again. Bill came and strengthened the wards, and her other brothers had been in and out for meals and helping out for the past two weeks.

Ron, Hermione and Harry had stayed at Hogwarts. Likely helping with repairs there, meeting with Ministry officials, and avoiding as many reporters as possible.

But they had returned late last night. Ginny was already in her room when she heard the sound of their fireplace in the living room, followed by the sound of their voices.

But Ginny wasn't strong enough to great them. She had seen the articles herself. Harry's mystery women. Supposedly French. So most reporters could only understand snippets of what Harry said in conversations. _They must use a translation charm_ Ginny mused.

Ginny couldn't believe Harry had found a new… she couldn't even think it. It made her whole chest, stomach, and heart hurt. Last night she had held herself in the fetal position and tried to stay calm until she heard all the voices end.

Evidently, all three sets of footsteps went all the way up the staircase to Ron's room.

 **ALIC**

Ginny got up early and opted to make a pot of tea for everyone before her mother could. Sitting at the table and enjoying her tea, she was surprised when the first person through the kitchen door was none other than Harry.

"Good morning", Harry greeted.

Looking up, Ginny stood up with her tea cup in hand and offered a, "Hi Harry. There's tea in the pot for you." As Harry moved towards the pot, Ginny continued past him into the living room to finish her tea.

 **ALIC**

Well, Ginny was back in the kitchen again. This time with her mom helping bake bread for lunch. The trio had headed outside after breakfast and she assumed they were down by the pond relaxing.

Molly had just left to pick up more cold-cuts for lunch, when there was a knock on the back door. Not in fear of safety, now with Voldemort's downfall, Ginny called, "Come in!".

Turning around she saw none other than Harry's new belle enter the back door.

"Salut!"

"Hi" Ginny responded, not knowing what to say.

"You must be Ginny!" the girl continued.

Ginny only nodded in response. Before she could think of a way out of the kitchen, the girl continued again.

"I'm Leila! Leila Hal… Leila Potter" the girl stuttered while walking towards Ginny with an outstretched hand.

Not one to be overtly rude, Ginny accepted and shook "Leila Potter's" hand.

 _He's MARRIED?_

"I have heard so much about you" Leila said.

 _Really?_

"You must not know who I am… I know this is a terrible time for your family. I'm… can we share a cup of tea?"

 _No._

"Sure."

And so, Ginny escorted "Leila" to the living room with two cups of tea levitating in front of her.

Sitting down, Leila said, "I want to learn how to do that," while pointing towards where the teacups were formerly levitating.

 _She's a muggle?!_

"I, uh, you must be so confused. Well, I've been in the dark a lot too. I only met Harry a few months ago. But you and I have so much in common! You're not the only girl he loves and left behind..."

And before the gulp of tea Ginny was taking burst out of her mouth, before it could sink in that Harry had said he loves her, and before she could even begin to dissect the implied absurdity of Harry loving both Leila and her, Leila said the unbelievable.

"I'm his sister."

 **ALIC**

Leila had confided everything in Ginny: that she was born secretly in France while the Potter's were in hiding, and that she had to stay in France in an incubator because she was born so premature due to Lily Potter's stress; that she had been raised in an orphanage herself after the Potter's never returned to the hospital; that she was beaten like Harry; that she knew she was a witch when she received her letter from Beauxbaton but had no money to pay for tuition and attend; that she had went by "Leila Hallam" her whole life though she knew her birth mom's name was Potter; that Harry had found her when she was working the phones when he called the European Orphanage Hotline to ask which residence a "Tom Riddle" had stayed in. She had agreed to take him to site to visit the orphanage on her next visit (she had since moved out of the orphanages herself, but now she worked to ensure they were better for all the other children passing through); and as soon as they met they knew they were family.

 _Not surprising_ Ginny mused, _she has the same drop-dead eyes._

Harry, apparently shocked and moved by the realization that he did in fact have family, and by the realization that her childhood had striking similarities to his own, had told her everything. His prophecy, his mission, his fear and isolation, and his love for some red-head lithe Chaser named Ginny Weasley.

Leila was right. Her and Leila did have a lot in common. Starting with their humour right down to sharing a birthday. But Leila, by all means, was still currently a muggle. She had no magical knowledge yet – not even a wand – except for the few tid-bits she had learned from Harry Ron and Hermione. Like owls and quidditch. Apparently Harry had promised to owl her as soon as he had ended the war, to relieve her worry, and start teaching her everything there is to know about magic.

 **ALIC**

And so, when Harry re-entered the kitchen a few hours after dinner for another cup of tea, Ginny perked up from her own and said, "Here, let me get you a cup to join me".


End file.
